


In Darkness She Is All I See

by CBlue



Series: In a Quaint Town [2]
Category: Stardew Valley (Video Game)
Genre: "you are beginning to feel exhausted", F/M, Mayor Lewis exists to make our lives harder but we love him, Recovering Alcoholic, Shane is trying his best, Soft Mornings, This is one of the softest pieces I've ever written, again this is well past midnight, supportive spouse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-26
Updated: 2019-05-26
Packaged: 2020-03-19 12:30:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,377
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18969331
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CBlue/pseuds/CBlue
Summary: Sometimes his fingers twitched. Sometimes the bottle called his name with a promise in return for his surrender. On those nights, he would turn from the fridge and see his wife’s open arms. Cee would smile gently and beckon him to bed. Instead of his lips worshipping the rim of a bottle his own skin would be praised like a temple. It was overwhelming and on some nights it was unbearable.





	In Darkness She Is All I See

The morning sunlight filtered through the single story farmhouse as Shane blinked the heavy sleep out of his eyes. It was rare that he allowed himself to sleep in, but when his partner didn’t stir in the earlier hours how could he bring himself to do so? He held up his hand to block the sunlight. The action caused the sun to kiss at the glittering band on his finger.

His eyes widened as sleep left him suddenly. It had been a long time since he had shed the mermaid shell that had hung lovingly around his neck. Instead the jewelry he now donned had a matching counterpart. Shane leaned himself up on his elbow to admire his partner - his wife - as she laid beside him. Her short hair was askew and drool dribbled at her chin. Her matching ring glittered as it called for its partner.

Shane smiled gently as he combed her bangs away from her face. He remembered the first time he had met this farmer. This whirlwind of a storm had breezed through on a sunny spring day simply asking his name. He knew Mayor Lewis must have put the newcomer up to meeting everyone in the town. He had wanted nothing to do with her. He thought his harsh words would be rid of her.

Oh, how wrong he was.

Shane threw his arm over Cee, burying his nose into her splayed hair. It’s auburn color painted their bedsheets like rose petals - and it smelled just as good. He always loved this smell. The fresh grass and chickens outside permeating into the clean sheets that felt soft against his rough skin were home. Oh, God. This home that swelled his heart three sizes seized him in such a way that he felt it hard to breath.

Sometimes his fingers twitched. Sometimes the bottle called his name with a promise in return for his surrender. On those nights, he would turn from the fridge and see his wife’s open arms. Cee would smile gently and beckon him to bed. Instead of his lips worshipping the rim of a bottle his own skin would be praised like a temple. It was overwhelming and on some nights it was unbearable.

Soft words reassured and anchored him. More than that though, bright laughter as Jas played with chickens grounded him. Marnie’s proud beam as she stood beside him on his wedding day brightened his steps forward with his wife. He would walk every mile if it meant meeting Cee at the end of it.

Cee, God, he loved her. He had no need for walking 500 miles to meet her. She walked with him every step of the way. Even if he needed his distance, she never left his - no - their path. Their path was winding and twisting but ever growing.

Growing was something like a weed in Shane’s mind. When Cee had first teased about the addition of a nursery, Shane had retreated to those familiar cold lips that burned his throat. The following weeks were tougher than quitting had been. It wasn’t easy, and he still struggled, but he was getting there. Thank God or whoever was listening that all he did was fall into himself. He wouldn’t - he couldn’t - bare to think of himself lashing out. He just needed the quiet.

When the familiar lake by Marnie’s Ranch seemed too far, the small body of water that resided on their residence made due. The chickens sounded around him as he looked up to the stars. A bottle didn’t intertwine itself with his fingers but the calloused hands of a hard worker did. He would turn to look at the stars twinkling in her eyes. Cheesy and unmentionable, his heart would still increase in size at the thought.

Cee stirred beneath his weight as he lost himself to his thoughts. Moaning gently, Cee followed suit in blinking the sleep out of her eyes. The sleep was slow to leave her as if it too could not live without her - or it didn’t want to. She smiled groggily at Shane.

“Good morning.” She yawned. “What are you doing up so early?”

Shane chuckled softly. His breath blew against her bangs. “It’s not early.”

“It’s Sunday.” She countered easily as she snuggled closer into his soft frame. God, Shane loved that too. He loved how her hands trailed across his body as if he were something precious. He felt valued. Shane never knew that was what he needed, but Cee seemed to bring light to all of what he never knew existed for him.

Shane kissed her nose before pulling back slowly. “I know.” He hummed gently as he trailed another kiss along her jaw. “Do you want me to make breakfast?”

“Tempting.” Cee purred as she wrapped her legs around Shane’s own. “I sort of like you being right here, though.”

He could feel his heart stick in his throat. It wasn’t most days he felt so sentimental, but it always seemed to happen the days he woke up first. When he could look to his strong wife, the woman who cleared out the mines and manned a whole farm by herself well before they became anything, and he could see her in the soft morning light it took his breath away. Whatever high could be spoken of or art could be made would ever compare to his farmer.

Shane nibbled his way to her ear as she continued her contented purr. “I love you.” He breathed deeply as he held her tightly against himself.

Cee opened her eyes slowly to meet Shane’s own. Her hands trailed up from his soft stomach to his chest until she found purchase on either side of his face. “I love you, too.” She whispered it into the safe morning.

Smiling, Shane turned his face and kissed at her palms. “I love you.” He repeated with each kiss that he peppered against her tanned skin. He continued until her face broke out in barely contained laughter with her bursting giggles.

“Shane!” She gently reprimanded. “Stop!” Her voice whined as she playfully kicked at his shins.

He tucked his legs, trapping her own as he continued is bombardment of kisses. Shane continued until their struggle ended with him beaming into her hair and Cee’s hands clutching at his arms. Laughing in the Sunday morning of midsummer, Cee’s eyes twinkled like the stars were reflecting into them. Shane lost himself stargazing into them for a moment.

“What is it?” She asked softly as she kissed at his fingers. His digits curled in an instinctual response to her adornments of them.

“Nothing.” Shane shook his head with a soft smile. “Nothing at all.”

Raising a knowing eyebrow but dropping the subject, Cee kissed at Shane’s forehead. “How did I ever get so lucky to have you?”

Shane gave a faux moment of thought. “It was probably your peppers.” He smirked as Cee gaped in response.

“Shane!” She gave a playful swipe at his shoulder. “Here I am being sentimental and all you want is my pepper poppers.”

“Guilty as charged.” He returned her teasing air with a half-shrug. He wrapped his arms around her again as he breathed in deeply. “They’re too good to resist.”

Cee beamed as she returned to kissing his face. “So are you~” She cooed only half teasing. Sincerity laced her features in a way that reminded Shane of one of Elliot’s art pieces. He had to remember to pick up that piece he had commissioned for their anniversary.

“So are you.” Shane replied softly, his voice barely above a whisper.

His words still Cee’s movements as she moved back to look at him. Her soft expression melted into something fond and adoring. It was enough to make Shane feel overwhelmed again, but this time it was in a good way. Slowly, this overwhelming radiance was a good thing. No more nights of a cold, chilly companion. Now his sunshine laid in bed, wrapping itself around him in warming beams.

He always loved the summer. Summer meant peppers and dishes and breaks. Now summer meant lazy Sunday mornings with sunshine radiating on his face. Finally, he was finding he could live in the sun instead of the shadows.

**Author's Note:**

> Title from Maroon 5's Sunday Morning. No Beta Reader or fine editing was used in the making of this ficlet. These depictions are by no means canon or accurate, but I felt they were what was either the best I could represent or most fitting for what I think the characters are. If you are struggling with anything that Shane from Stardew Valley struggles with - or even beyond that - please know you are not alone. There is a support system out there for you and people who are willing to help. They care and you are cared for. Have a great day you lovely person and know you are out there making one person's life different and sometimes that is all that matters. Thank you for reading.


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